Karuah
NSWKaruah is a growing suburb in NSW with 1,618 residents.
- SAL code
- 12084
- SA2
- 106031125
- Population
- 1,618
- LGA
- Port Stephens
Karuah, NSW had 1,618 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 16.2% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 65-74 years, and the median age sits at 50. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,444 a month. Around 79.2% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned outright at 49.3%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 95.6% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 8 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Population
?1,618
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+16.2%
3yr: +10.1% · 10yr: +24.7%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,061/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
50
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?5/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?3.2%
SA4 · Q4 2025
Schools
1
1 primary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?2
1 OSHC
Parks & green space
?8
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
No data for this suburb
Dwelling approvals
?28
Port Stephens · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from NSW police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Williamtown - Medowie - Karuah (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Karuah suburb alone is ~1,618 (Census 2021).
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 10,830 to 17,178 over 24 years, averaging 1.9% per year.
Schools
1 in suburbGovernment school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Karuah PS98.7%
- Booral PS 1.3%
Secondary
Hunter River HS98.7%
- Bulahdelah CS 1.3%
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 0.9%Almost entirely detached houses (95.6%), owner-occupied (79%).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire & flood risk
Hazard data is not yet available for NSW.
Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
12 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| RU2 | ZoneRural | 53.0% | 39.19 km² |
| C1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 15.7% | 11.57 km² |
| RU3 | ZoneRural | 14.0% | 10.38 km² |
| W2 | ZoneWaterway | 4.7% | 3.45 km² |
| C2 | ZoneEnvironmental | 3.8% | 2.82 km² |
| W1 | ZoneWaterway | 2.6% | 1.91 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 2.4% | 1.76 km² |
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 1.6% | 1.19 km² |
| SP1 | ZoneSpecial use | 1.5% | 1.11 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 0.3% | 0.24 km² |
| RU5 | ZoneRural | 0.2% | 0.14 km² |
| RE2 | ZoneRecreation | 0.2% | 0.12 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.